Homecoming
by JoPoGirlsKickAss
Summary: Bruce had been gone far too long, but now he was back and all he wanted was for it to be real, for it not to be a dream that he awoke from. One shot. (slight ooc)


**Author:** JoPo [obviously]

 **Disclaimer:** I own nothing.

 **Note:** This is inspired by a surprise homecoming planned by a little girl's mother; she was able to give her daughter her father for Christmas. Mild OOC.

 **Dedicated:** To all the soldiers fighting for our country and for all their friends and family who wait for them to return home safely.

 **Happy Reading, Enjoy!**

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 **Homecoming  
**

It had been the longest seven months—eight months?—of his life. And now it was over, finally he was back on earth.. well not exactly, but he was entering Earth's orbit and that was close enough for him. He never thought he'd be so happy to see his home planet, though if he was being honest he'd never thought he'd have ever been off it for this long.

Not that he'd gone willingly.

It started that day.. sometime in May? —it started out as a simple mission that turned out to be a very elaborate trap.. a trap made for someone of a far greater caliber than himself. The details were hard to smooth out and thinking about it gave him a terrible headache, a side effect of the alien plants he'd been fed.

All he could remember was seeing blood.. it was his own? Either way he woke up far from home, about one hundred ninety-three lightyears away, on a planet with six suns, one oblong moon, and an astroid belt so thick it blacked out the suns when they passed directly over head. The planet was humid, the air so heavy that it took great concentration to expel it from the lungs. The gravity too seemed ten fold of what he was used to on earth, the first few weeks had been torture on his body, his muscles fatigued from just holding everything in place and his joints under too much pressure to move without fracturing them, but he slowly became accustomed to it.

It had been hell, with six constantly moving suns the light was always blinding, leaving him no shadows to hide in. But even with the suns, the planet's climate was like an arctic winter, the humid air contrasting heavily with the temperature. It didn't seem plausible, but then again he had been in a galaxy one hundred ninety-three lightyears away.

His captors were giant creatures at nine feet tall with a basic humanoid form, but with arms that could crush boulders and legs meant for crossing great distances in a short amount of time. Their skin was leathery and brown and ribbed over their arms, legs, and back. Their front sides covered with a fleshier hide. The disks of their spines protruded from their backs, the bones coming to blunt points, each joint also protruding an elongated bone. Their faces were pointed, a strange three holed duct system serving as their nose, though they didn't breath through it, they usually had it closed off by folds of their leathery skin. Their huge eyes were a yellow-white, the pupil no bigger than the head of a nail; they too had leathery folds that closed over like eyelids, however, they could shift the position of them, sinking them further into their skull and letting a clear skin cover them. The mouth was a thin line covered by skin making it invisible until they pulled back the layers, the folds untangling, showing three rows of teeth, two at the bottom. He quickly discovered that they could unhinge their jaw much like a snake, and that their mouth would split open down their throat to the top of their sternum, two more rows of teeth lining the sides of their open esophagi.

In the first days there he'd picked up on the basic language which was akin to throaty, gurgles that came from the bottom of the stomach, it had taken him nearly four weeks before he could perfect the sound without sounding like a camel drowning in sand.

Closing his eyes he recalled the torturous life he'd lived. They kept him in a rock made prison until his bones were able to stand the pressure and his muscles the weight. Then, once they'd realized he wasn't the one they'd been meaning to capture they threw him into a mine where he discovered that the rock they mined was so acidic that it ate away at flesh, even his fellow miners who's skin was a thick leathery-like hide could not stop the corrosion it caused. After three weeks in the mines he wasn't recognizable, the acid rock had eaten away his skin, exposing his muscle to the humid air, it was then that he got into a fight with the guards, three of whom he'd taken down with him.

He had come-to in an expansive, smoothly carved cavern, the leader of his alien captors standing before him, surprise showing in his posture. The creature hadn't thought he'd live past day two in the mine. After listening to the guards truthfully regale their leader with his fight, he spoke for the first time since arriving on the foreign rock. They'd all seemed surprised by his clear understanding of their language. The leader had thrown him into an arena without a second thought. After defeating six of ten aliens that had come at him, he'd exhausted himself and collapsed.

He came-to yet again, though this time it was more humid and there was a rank smell in the air. One of the largest aliens he'd seen pulled him to his feet and told him that he was now a soldier. He tried to fight them, but they reminded him he had no where to go. He had no choice but to fight... and fight he did. Their enemies were troll like creatures who ripped through the ranks, literally tearing his captors in half leaving their pieces behind to be trampled by their comrades.

He took the first life in his first day on the battle field, it had been completely instinctual, everyone was being felled, both his captors and their enemies. He'd been avoiding fighting for most of the time, but he'd gotten caught between blades and once his leathery skinned captor was slayed, the troll turned to him and sliced without hesitating, intent on the kill. He'd reached for the nearest thing and the creature'd impaled itself on the weapon. It went from there, his captors explained that their enemies were pure evil, that they killed every living thing in their path without question, even their own. They had no leaders and only lived to kill. He didn't feel any better about killing them, but he still did it.

Everyday was spent on a battlefield, his captors and their enemies dying around him, and he returning to camp with the survivors, all of them covered in blood and dirt, the retched smell of the flesh clinging to them and the brown blood hanging in a haze above the battlefield after every encounter. He could not breath without choking on blood, but like the humid air he became accustomed to it.

He wasn't entirely sure how many days he spent on the battlefield, but the war had ended with his leathery skin captors winning after bloodying one last plain with bodies both friend and foe. Afterwards they'd returned to the leader who opened his throat and roared into the sky. He'd been acknowledged as a soldier, but no more than that. He became a challenge to his captors, to see how many of them would be willing to test themselves against him. He lived as a forced gladiator until members of the Green Lantern Corps had showed up.

There was a lot of arguing between his captors and the Corps until he was noticed as a foreign spices to the planet—to that side of the universe, then fights broke out and the Corps brought in sixteen sectors. His captors hissed, snarled, and roared and they all eventually ended up in some strange court system between the nearby galaxies. All he could remember of it was hundreds of aliens watching his captors argue for his possession. The sudden change in atmosphere was like a bad hangover crossed with a concussion, he could only remember colors and shapes and the occasional phrase.

And then it was all over and he was taken to Oa where he was declared human and a Green Lantern assigned to the sector adjacent to Earth was told to contact the Green Lantern there.

Markot Five was the first familiar face he'd seen since his capture. The Green Lantern seemed to understand that he knew him, but kept quiet. By an even deeper understanding he stayed by his side, something he would never admit he was eternally grateful for.

It was two days on Oa before a familiar ship landed, its smooth surface reflecting the green light making the ship glow. Three heroes disembarked, two of which he'd recognized as Creeper and the Ray, the third trailing behind looking around with poorly hidden awe. Two Green Lanterns greeted them before leading them toward the base of the tower he resided in, they arrived at his room in a matter of moments. Creeper and the Ray had greeted him quietly, looking him over before asking him what had happened and what his name was. Markot told them what the Corps believed to have happened, which wasn't far from the truth, but Markot did not give his name, because he himself hadn't given it.

When they asked him his name he struggled to speak, and again Markot stepped in explaining that it would be awhile before he could speak anything resembling English which caused him self loathing, his captors hadn't let him speak his native tongue and so its sounds slowly slipped from his vernacular. The heroes had nodded and lead him to their javelin, Markot using his ring to help him walk. He'd surprised the heroes by going straight to a seat and strapping himself in with only a single slip in his movements.

All this brought him to where he was now, sitting next to a hero he didn't know while Creeper and Ray sat at the controls speaking English, something Markot had recommended in order for him to become reacquainted with it faster. When the javelin entered the Earth's orbit he'd looked out the window and prayed to all the gods he didn't believe in that this wasn't a dream and that he was finally home. When they came around the side of the planet the sun shone brightly and he closed his eyes feeling its warmth seep into his face.

"Watchtower this is the Ray, id: 406. Requesting permission to land Javelin-7 42D." the Ray said into the javelin's communications system.

"Watchtower to the Ray, id confirmed. Permission to land granted, please proceed to landing dock 11-R."

"Rodger, preceding to landing dock 11-R. Thanks Watchtower, see you in a bit."

He licked his lips as the ship approached the giant satellite station, the Ray maneuvered the javelin, and when they were in range, a set of landing doors opened and minutes later the ship had set down. The doors closed and the airlock light went off and a crew dressed in forgotten purple suits came running out.

The gravity on the space station was the same as it was on Earth, but he hadn't felt it for months so when he took his first step he hit the roof of the cabin and stumbled.

"Easy there." the unnamed hero said watching him warily.

"He needs time to adjust to the change in gravity," the Creeper said offering his shoulder as support.

With the help of Creeper and the Ray he was able to exit the ship. The Ray called for a medical team, they wheeled in a crash cart and had to help him onto it, it was a great struggle and he broke two of the supports in an attempt to right himself. The Creeper instructed them to take him to the medbay where he would meet them after entering the report into the system.

As the med team wheeled him down the familiar hallways he saw familiar face after familiar face and he had to close his eyes to calm his reeling mind. When they reached the medbay they helped him onto a bed where he waited. A doctor came in, but left after one of the team members gave him a brief report. He wasn't sure how long he waited, he'd converted the days on his captors' planet to Earth days, but he wasn't entirely sure how he'd originally done it, so he didn't bother trying to guess. The change in atmosphere and gravity were making him extremely dizzy and ill.

In an attempt to ease his vertigo he slowly slid off the bed, but before he could get far a male nurse and a doctor rushed to his side. The doctor followed his eyes to the sink and ordered the aid to support him while he retrieved a glass. Just as the doctor was shutting off the sink the medbay doors opened and the most welcoming face he'd seen since he'd been capture contorted into surprise, then shock, then awe, before settling somewhere between immense joy and disbelief.

The Martian Manhunter's actions shocked all of the staff as he swept forward and wrapped the man in a hug. It lasted for a few moments before the last alien of Mars stepped back and held him at arms length.

 _..Bruce..?_

 _...y.. yes. It's me J'onn._

"We though you were lost." J'onn whispered.

Bruce tried to speak, but he still couldn't form the correct sounds. Instead he opted to speak through the telepathic link. _I did too._

 _I cannot express in words how good it is to see you._

 _Neither can.. neither can I._

Noticing his friend's lack of composure and sensing his illness J'onn turned to the medical personal who'd entered the room and requested two I.V.'s and a number of medications. J'onn motioned to the doctor holding the glass of water and took it from him when he was close enough. Holding the cup to his long lost comrade he barely caught the glass when it slipped through Bruce's fingers.

 _Easy friend._

J'onn and a doctor helped Bruce back onto the bed and hooked him up to the I.V.'s and J'onn assisted him in swallowing the pills. After pushing him back to the bed J'onn couldn't help but smile at the sight of his friend, caring less for his state and far more for his presence.

 _It is so very good to have you back. You have been very missed my friend._

Though he was on the cusp of sleep Bruce pulled himself out just enough to open his eyes and meet the orange ones. _..H ..how.._

 _They are as well as can be my friend, your absence took a great toll on all of us. Rest for now and when you awaken I shall take you to them._ J'onn's voice faded as sleep claimed him, his world going black.

. . . . . .

Bruce awoke with J'onn still at his side, his joy radiating off of him. Noticing he was awake J'onn assisted him into a sitting position knowing he would not be able to keep the man in bed any longer than he already had.

Though he was still dizzy and his vertigo caused him great discomfort the medications J'onn had given him lessened the pain and weariness. _Get me home._

J'onn's face split into a smile, _Happily friend._ J'onn held out a metal cane that was deftly crafted. _It will help you, the change in gravity has completely unbalanced your inner ear, it is what is causing much of the vertigo; the dizziness is the change in atmosphere, you are breathing too heavily for Earth's light air._

Bruce nodded and took the cane, slowly sliding off the bed to test his legs. He discovered that he still could not stand without assistance, but J'onn offered him his shoulder with no words. Together they exited the medbay. Surprisingly few heroes crossed their path, but those who did could not hide their surprise or questioning expressions.

They reached the teleporters and J'onn entered a security code for one of the personnel, before standing on one of the glass plates, still supporting most of Bruce's weight. The familiar blue light engulfed them and Bruce was momentarily lost in the sensation. He opened his eyes, not to his cave, but to a brightly lit room, one filled with archery equipment of all kinds.

Bruce turned to J'onn questioningly. _Trust me. They are here._ Bruce held his gaze a moment longer before attempting to step forward.

Damn it all to hell!

He still couldn't walk without J'onn's assistance.

 _Do not worry friend, you will be back on your feet._ J'onn helped him to a table and answered his unasked question by holding up a razor, _I believe we should clean you up before they see you.. we took care of most of the dirt but you still look like you've been through hell and your beard is not helping the situation._ Bruce reached a hand up, he had completely forgotten about his over grown facial hair, he had become so used to it.

Much to Bruce's displeasure J'onn had to shave him because his hands were not steady enough and he was still too fatigued to concentrate for long periods of time. After J'onn had finished he helped him into a zipped hoodie to cover his bare chest. _What of your trousers?_

Glancing down Bruce touched the once strange armor that covered his legs, he looked back up. _It.. it._ Bruce paused before offering J'onn a memory. It was after they'd pulled him out of the mine, but before he'd reached the camp at the front lines. They'd molded the rock-leather like pants to his bare muscles, telling him that the hide he'd had before the mine would take too long to heal and that this second skin would protect his legs from the trolls' poisonous barbs.

J'onn looked to the strange skin before nodding in understanding, _When you are ready I will help you remove them._

Bruce nodded in thanks and slid off the table with J'onn giving his shoulder once more. They exited the room through a secret door and J'onn lead him up a long flight of dark stairs. Once they reached a landing J'onn opened yet another secret door that opened into a large study. As he took in the colors and fuzzy shapes Bruce realized not much had changed in the room since he'd last seen it, but then again he couldn't stand by himself let alone think straight.

After an agonizing journey on Bruce's part they'd reached a large kitchen where voices floated through the archway. Upon entering the kitchen Bruce was able to focus enough to make out the three figures standing by the sink preparing a number of mugs.

The first one he saw had red hair and a rather narrow frame, but there was no mistaking Roy Harper, next to him stood a black haired pubescent teen that had to be Oliver's son Bobby. Between the two boys a tall elegant woman stood, her head thrown back in laughter as Bobby pelted Roy with mini marshmallows. It was a laugh that echoed in his head and brought with it never ending memories that bombarded him. Her black tresses were longer than he'd remembered, and her shoulders didn't seem to be held in the straight, royal posture that was a signature of her's.

Next to him J'onn cleared his throat and they each threw a glance over their shoulders only seeing the green skin as recognition.

"We were wondering when you'd join us, we'd gotten a report that you'd teleported in." The voice was like music to Bruce's ears, and his eyes closed momentarily at the sound of it.

"There are oreos out there, but if you don't hurry the munchkins will eat them all," Bobby joked, turning around to face J'onn, leaning against the counter as he did so. "I know how much you.. love ..them..." His voice trailed off as he noticed the large man that J'onn supported. Bobby's jaw fell open and realization slowly blossomed across his face.

Roy glanced at his adopted brother and threw a hand full of marshmallows into his awaiting mouth, "You shouldn't keep your mouth hanging open like that," he snickered. He paused however, at Bobby's lack of reaction and followed his eyes to the far archway. He took in the man next to J'onn, his eyes widening and his jaw going slack. "Holy fuck.."

Roy received an elbow in the ribs from the woman next to him and a reprimand, but he ignored both. "Diana.." he finally managed to croak out.

The long legged beauty turned at Roy's call and followed both his and Bobby's stunned stares, her eyes falling on J'onn before settling on the man he supported. Her eyes welled with tears that did not fall, "..Bruce..?"

The kitchen was engulfed in a long ticking moment of silence that was broken by J'onn, "It's really him. He was found by the Green Lantern Corps."

Diana needed no more confirmation and launched forward into Bruce. The billionaire was ripped from J'onn's supporting grip and stumbled backward with Diana latched onto him.

"He cannot stand on his own," J'onn hurriedly added.

Diana quickly righted herself and Bruce before they toppled over, but she did not let go. Her face was buried into his neck, her arms wrapped around him in a death grip. Bruce returned the gesture in kind, holding onto her like a life line.

Diana pulled back after a few minutes and began to kiss every inch of Bruce's face that was available to her. His cheeks, his jaw, his forehead, she left no skin untouched by her lips before finally leaning in and capturing his lips in a desperately hungry kiss. Only when her lungs were burning for oxygen did she pull away, but even then she still gave him a handful of kisses just as passionate, but much more brief.

Resting her forehead against Bruce's Diana closed her eyes and breathed him in. He didn't smell like she'd remembered him, nor did he feel the same beneath the pads of her fingers, but even with these differences she knew it was him and couldn't put words to her happiness.

"You're really here..?"

Bruce moved his head against her's in confirmation and she pulled him closer to her in another suffocating hug. They separated a few moments later and Bruce attempted to speak, " _..D.. d..Diana-ah,"_ it came out hoarse and raspy, with a snarl near the end. Bruce cursed himself, but Diana seemed to understand and she nodded in response, a smile blooming across her features, tears still in her eyes, but refusing to fall.

Bruce's eyes wandered over the kitchen and then came back to Diana, Diana gave him one last hug before slipping one arm around his waist and pulling one of his over her shoulder. J'onn had already left the kitchen and Bobby and Roy followed his lead giving Diana and Bruce a few moments alone.

Bruce met Diana's gaze searchingly and she squeezed the hand that hung over her shoulder, "She's in the living room." Diana reached down and handed Bruce the cane he'd dropped and helped him exit the kitchen. The arm around her shoulder tightened in reassurance, and Diana couldn't help but smile even more, her face felt as though it was going to split in half, but she couldn't care less for the pain.

Together they made their way across an expansive foyer and into an open living room that was gayly decorated in red and green with a huge twinkling tree just off the middle. Scattered around the room either standing or lounging on the furniture were a number of faces Bruce recognized, and before them,

in front of the tree sat a handful of children giggling and laughing and watching a large man in a red and white suit telling them a story.

The chatter amongst the adults in the room began to fade away as all eyes fell on Diana and Bruce, their eyes widening in disbelief. The children noticed the silence and their attention was drawn away from Santa Claus to the large man that their Aunt Diana held up.

Bruce's eyes wandered over each of the tiny faces before coming to a stop on the child in Santa's lap. She was wearing a miniature Santa hat, holding onto a familiar orange and purple polka dotted elephant. The little girl had grown a lot since he'd seen her last and with a heart wrenching tug he realized he'd most likely missed her second birthday. Bruce untangled himself from Diana and stepped forward, leaning against the cane heavily trying to ignore the pain that consumed his body and the vertigo that tilted his world.

Diana seemed reluctant to let him go, staying at his elbow, but she let him stand on his own knowing how stubborn he was. Diana looked to the little girl in Santa's lap and smiled a watery smile.

The young girl's eye's widened slightly, "Daddy?" she asked softly in her high, child voice. She slide down the stunned Santa's leg and took a few wobbly steps forward, Bruce closed the gap between them with his own stumbles, lowering himself to his knees when he reached her.

Bruce dropped his cane and opened his arms to which the little girl walked right into, her own arms opening briefly before closing around his neck. "Daddy!" Her tiny voice said again, with more certainty than the last.

"Hi Daddy."

"I miss yoo." She said holding onto him, pronouncing the you with a long O at the end. Everyone in the room awed, many of their eyes moist, the two pregnant women almost sobbing at the sight.

There was a pause as the little girl took another breath. "I love yoo."

At the little girl's announcement none of the adults in the room could stop their tears from falling, and Diana was no exception as she watched father and daughter reunite.

Bruce held onto his little girl, forcing himself through the pain and dizziness so as to not crush her in his embrace or to pass out. He kissed her cheek and buried his face into her neck much the way Diana had done to him. "..I..love y..you ..to.." the words were rough and took all of Bruce's concentration to say, but he had to get them out and do so without scaring his little girl.

The little girl pulled back and kissed Bruce on the cheek, she then placed her hand on his same cheek, "I love yoo," she repeated, this time a bit more quietly, her deep blue eyes shining with more love and feeling than anyone thought possible of a girl a few months past two. The tears that had welled in Bruce's eyes spilled over, but he didn't care. He was home. His wife was feet from him and his little girl—his precious little girl—was back in his arms.

 _ **\- fin -**_

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Reviews are most welcomed (flames not). Thank you for reading. **-JoPo**


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